Journal box



July 29, 1941. A. o. BucKlus.

JOURNAL Box Filed March 12, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 8 2 9w 3 m A H- V Qw I. Nu FI vw \1 aw mu \IIOV. av S & \L 2. Q G v av INVENTOR B fllberfi 0. Buckius ATTORNW July 29, 19,41. A. o. BUCKIUS JOURNAL BOX Filed March 12, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR qlbel'l 0. Bucbgu-s ATTORNE July 29, 1941.

A. O. BUCKIUS JOURNAL Box Filed March 12, 1937 s she'ts-sheet s INVENTOR Bfflberl, 0. Buclrz'aa ATTORNEY Patented July 29, 1941 ()FFICE I JOURNAL eox Albert 0. Buckius, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of ()liio This invention relates to railway journal boxes and more particularly to means for cushioning endwise or longitudinal movement and shocks between the journal and associated journal box.

An object of my invention is the provision of means simple in construction and easy of application to the journal box for resiliently limiting relative endwise movement between the journal and box. Another object is the construction of such a means in a manner that will permit a small amount of universal movement between the stop means and the box so as to allow the former to adjust itself angularly of the box to coincide with angular displacements between the journal box and journal. A further object of the invention is to so mount a leaf spring in the journal box as to obtain the maximum free span of the spring between the supports for the ends thereof for a given size box, thereby increasing the flexibility of the spring and reducing the stress therein. A

still further object is the provision of a resiliently mounted thrust block that does not interfere with application and removal of the wedge and bearing member and which will permit inspection and oiling of the journal box, and adjustment of the waste, when used, in waste packed boxes. Other objects and advantages will become clear from the following detailed description and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a journal box embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, with a part of the K spring band shown in elevation; and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view illustrating the application of the wedge with the thrust block in position.

In the drawings the journal box It receives the journal Ii in the usual manner and is provided with a brass l2 and a wedge I3, as is customary in this type of box. The space between the bottom of the journal and the bottom wall of the box may be filled with oil-soaked waste to lubriface 21 of the journal. Extending toward the front of the box from'portion l8 are upper-and lower arms 22 and 23 joined in front of the spring by a vertical wall 2 Wall 24 is provided with lateral extensions 25 lying adjacent side walls 26 of the journal box and adapted to limit lateral movement of member l5 relative to the box.

In order to utilize the maximum length of leaf spring possible within the confines of a given journal box, I form openings 2'! in the side walls thereof, the front and rear walls of which openings are curved, as at 28 and 29, respectively,

forming substantially a line contact between the spring and journal box and'permitting the spring to rock about surfaces 28 and 29 as it is flexed in in position. These cover plates are fastened to the'journal box by means of bolts 33 which may be formed with holes to receive a sealing wire 34 for preventing loosening of the bolts. If desired, a gasket 35 may be positioned between each cover plate and the journal box to assure a tight joint. j It will be observed that projecting portion I8 of member lfi'extends above and below arms 22 and 23. These projecting portions may be'reinforced beneath arm 23 by webs 36 and above arm 22 by webs 3?. To assur adequate lubrication between the end of the journal and member l9, a flange 38 is provided above arm 22 and joining webs 37 to form a waste receiving pocket 39. The waste is soaked with oil that is carried to thrust block l9 through a passage 40 extending through members it and I!) from the bottom of pocket 39 to thrust surface 20.

As the box In moves toward the journal the engagement of surfaces 20 and 2| will be cushioned by leaf spring I1, a part of theforce of the blow being absorbed by friction developed between the leaves of said spring. A surface contact between the thrust surfaces 20 and 2| is assured at all times in spite of angling between the box and journal. For this purpose a slight clearance is provided between the spring and thrust member It which will permit angular movement of the thrust member relative to the spring in all directions. In addition, the leaf spring itself is capable of a limited amount of flexing in all directions to assist in aligning the thrust surfaces.

Moreover, it will be noted that.

portion 8 of member l6 has been formed with a curved surface 4| facing the spring which provides progressively increasing clearance between the spring and said surface toward the lateral edges of portion l8 and enables the surface 4| to rock slightly with respect to the adjacent face of the spring. In this manner the point of application of the pressure on the spring shifts slightly as the surface 4| rocks but it is main: tained substantially at the center of the spring, thereby at all times utilizing the maximum flexibility of the spring. The normal clearance between the spring and surface 4| is such that blows causing a closing of this gap and the flexing of the spring will not result in the spring taking a permanent set. When the spring has been flexed sufficiently to bring it and surface 4| into contact, over the entire lateral extent of the latter, pressure is transmitted from member l6 to the spring in such a manner as to set up shearing stresses, rather than further bending stresses, in the spring. Flat surface contact may be provided between the spring and the wall 24 of the member I6. However, as shown in Fig. 2, the inner face 4| of the wall 24 might be made convex, if desired, similar to the surface 4| but this is not necessary due to the fact that the relative thrust between the spring and the member I6 is always taken at the surface 4| and sufficient clearance is provided between the spring and member IE to enable the relative angling, as explained. If the inner surface of wall 24 is made convex, the amount of clearance between the spring and member l6 may be reduced somewhat.

In assembling the parts, either before or after the box has been applied to the journal, the thrust block is first inserted in the opening at the forward end of the box and held in alignment with openings 21. The leaf spring may then be slid laterally through one of the openings 21, through member l6 and into the other opening 21, after which cover plates 32 are applied. Fig. 4 shows the journal box raised relative to the journal to such a position that the stop lug 45 is above wedge I3. This View clearly illustrates that even with the journal box raised the thrust block does not project upwardly to a position where it would interfere with application or removal of the wedge. After wedge I3 is removed the bearing member or brass |2 may also be withdrawn from the box.

With the use of my thrust block the wedge and brass need not resist or transmit the longitudinal thrusts of the journal relative to the box, thereby preventing one serious cause of wear on the ends of these members. This is accomplished by maintaining the clearance between the end of the journal and surface 29 of member l9, less than the clearance between the end of brass l2 and the shoulder 46 on the journal. Thus, as the journal moves to the right relative to the box as viewed in Fig. 1, the end of the journal will engage thrust block I before the clearance between shoulder 46 and the adjacent end of the brass is fully taken up. It may further be noted that clearance is provided between lug 49 on the bearing member and the adjacent end of the wedge, and between stop lug 45 and the end of the wedge adjacent thereto. All that is required to avoid transmission of thrusts through the wedge and bearing member is to provide a combined clearance between lug 45 and the forward end of the wedge, between the opposite end of the wedge and lug 49, and between shoulder 46 and the bearing member which is greater than the clearance between the surfaces 20 and 2| plus the total relative movement between the member l6 and the box due to the play of the parts and the flexing of the spring. This permits thrusts to be taken wholly on block |6 even though the latter moves outwardly the maximum amount against the resistance of the leaf spring. Thrusts to the left are received by the thrust block in the box at the opposite end of the journal. In such cases the clearance between shoulder 41 and the adjacent end of the brass may be sufficient to prevent contact therebetween. However, even though shoulder 41 does engage the brass no great forces will be applied thereto since the brass may move to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, until the opposite end of the journal engages the associated thrust block.

It will be observed, particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, that when closure member I4 is open there is sufiicient clearance between the bottom of the thrust block and the bottom wall 48 of the journal box to inspect the waste, where used, and to insert additional oil when necessary, thus obviating the necessity of removing the thrust block for these purposes.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a journal box having side walls, each side wall having an opening therein, a journal in said box, a thrust block opposite the end of said journal, and resilient means insertable through one of said openings and extending through said thrust block into said openings and engaging certain of the walls of said openings for cushioning movement of said journal relative to said box, said thrust block having a surface adjacent said resilient means of a curvature substantially the same as the curvature of said resilient means after a predetermined amount of deflection thereof, so that upon said predetermined amount of deflection said surface will be in substantially full engagement with said resilient means, portions of the walls of said openings being spaced from adjacent portions of said resilient means to allow said predetermined amount of deflection thereof.

2. In a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft journalled in the box, a leaf spring of rectangular cross section extending crosswise of the box, a thrust block opposed to the shaft and having a rectangular opening for the spring, and opposite vertical walls of the opening having convexly crowned surfaces engaging the flat sides of the spring; substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft journalled in the box, a leaf spring extending crosswise of the box, a thrust block opposed to the shaft and having an opening for the spring, one wall of the opening being extended laterally of the box beyond the other wall, and both walls having convexly crowned surfaces engaging the spring; substantially as described.

ALBERT O. BUCKIUS. 

